An aerial photo taken on February 3, 2011 shows the aftermath of Cyclone Yasi at Tully on February 3, 2011. Smashed yachts lay stacked like matchwood near a marina, while the ruined husk of a church, its walls sheered off as if from tank fire, stood vigil amidst the ruins of Cyclone Yasi. Photo courtesy AFP.

Man dies in Wales floodingLondon (AFP) Feb 6, 2011 -
A man's body was recovered Sunday after severe flooding lashed north Wales, local police said.
Police believe that the 58-year-old man became trapped when his vehicle became submerged near a river in Corwen in the county of Denbighshire.
An extensive search and rescue operation located the man's body a short distance away from the submerged vehicle.
"This is a tragic incident and the police are liaising with the man's family," policeman Jeremy Vaughan said.
"It emphasises the need to be extremely cautious in such adverse weather conditions and members of the public are advised to check weather conditions before making a journey."

Britain's Environment Agency issued 16 flood warnings across Wales Sunday as further heavy rain and rising rivers threatened to cause more damage.
"Staff are continuing to monitor river levels following the heavy rainfall experienced in parts of the country this weekend, an agency spokesperson said.
"We urge people in areas prone to flooding to continue to be on their guard. People should stay away from rivers and at all times avoid trying to drive or walk through any flooding."

by Staff WritersTully Heads, Australia (AFP) Feb 5, 2011 Torrential rains and flash floods trapped scores of people in homes and cars following a massive cyclone, piling more misery on Australia Saturday after weeks of record inundations.

As coastal residents pieced together homes and farms destroyed by Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi, dramatic deluges brought by cyclone activity caused chaos in the state of Victoria, some 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) away.

Authorities urged residents of the small town of Koo Wee Rup, southeast of Melbourne, to evacuate for fear of flash floods, while more than 80 people were rescued from flood-bound houses and vehicles.

An English tourist, 26, was in critical condition with serious head injuries after a gum tree came down on her tent, and a 14-year-old girl was pulled from a swollen river. Emergency services fielded thousands of calls for help.

"There is a simple message for everybody in Victoria at the moment: please take care," warned Victoria state premier Ted Baillieu.

"Whether you're near the roads, whether you're near floodwaters, please don't drive through, ride through or play through floodwaters."

Parts of Melbourne, Australia's second biggest city, were lashed by 175 millimetres (6.8 inches) of rain overnight, while flash floods hit the town of Mildura after a record downpour of 200 millimetres on Friday afternoon.

The rains come in the wake of Australia's worst cyclone in a century, which left a trail of destruction and a damage bill of billions of dollars (billions US) after hitting Queensland state on Wednesday, but miraculously caused no known deaths.

"I'm amazed we survived it," said banana farmer Daryl Webber, 42, who stood in his house as the roof was torn off, the windows were blown out and walls fell apart.

"The whole house was shaking, (wall) panels were flying everywhere. It was just horrendous. You wouldn't believe the force of the winds," he told AFP.

The remains of homes and debris including fridges and pool tables littered the devastated coastal hamlet of Tully Heads, while some communities remained cut off by floods and fallen trees, hampering recovery efforts.

Two men who were reported missing turned up safe, along with a couple who were feared drowned after their yacht capsized and a teenager who jumped into a fast-flowing river to save his dog. The pet also survived.

Looters stole thousands of dollars' (thousands US) worth of stock from a cyclone-hit Queensland pub, making off with its store of beer and the spirits from behind the bar.

"I think it is terrible that people take advantage in these situations. You lose faith in humans," staff member Janet Lobegeier said.

Australia's military scaled back operations to deal with weeks of floods, which affected three-quarters of Queensland, including the state capital Brisbane. But another 4,000 troops were helping clear up after the cyclone.

Swiss miner Xstrata resumed its operations at Mount Isa and Cloncurry, in Queensland's north, after the downgraded storm failed to cause any damage.

Power was restored to 15,000 properties in tourist centre Cairns, a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, as military aircraft prepared to fly in bottled water, tinned food and baby supplies because some roads remained impassable.

Tully Heads, which was virtually wiped off the map, was closed to the public and media as dazed residents wondered how to rebuild their lives with no homes, no power and little fuel and food.

Many people are living in patched-up homes with gaping holes covered by tarpaulin, and surviving hand-to-mouth until help arrives. Meanwhile, the local agricultural industry is in ruins.

"People say good old Queenslanders are tough and they can rebuild, but this is just too hard for us," said elderly resident Sandra Cameron.

Mozambique moves families away from floodsMaputo (AFP) Feb 4, 2011
Emergency services are moving thousands of families out of low-lying areas in central and northern Mozambique as rains across Southern Africa swell water levels, official said Friday.
"About 500 families with five members each were evacuated to camps. Six thousand families were affected which makes it about 30,000 people," Belarmino Chivambo, spokesman for the national emergency operations c ... read more

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